1. Persons with Disabilities.

Disability shall mean the condition of a person’s impairment of health ability he or she should have been in possession, and consequently leading to deficiency compared to others. In this law, a disabled person is any individual who was born without congenital abilities like those of others or one who was deprived of such abilities due to disease, accident, conflict or any other reasons which may cause disability. Every disabled person shall be entitled to equal rights with others persons before the law. He or she shall be respected and be entitled to human dignity. Read more. 

2. Categories of persons with Disabilities on the basis of disability 

1. Physically disabled persons; 

2. Sight-impaired persons; 

3.Deaf-and-dumb persons or persons with either of these disabilities; 

4. Mentally disabled persons;

5. Persons with disabilities not specified in the above categories approved by the Medical committee

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3. United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

In 2008, Rwanda ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and has since made tremendous progress in protecting the rights of persons with disabilities through legislative reform and program design (United Nations, 2006) . Enacting several laws supporting and protecting the rights of PwDs, Rwanda has created a strong enabling environment. Although these policies and laws are important, there remains a fissure between legal policy frameworks and the actual experiences of PwDs in Rwanda. Read more

4.Background of Persons with Disabilities 

Historically, PwDs have struggled to live and enjoy their rights in the same way as those without disabilities. Negative beliefs, stereotypes, and attitudes were directed towards PwDs by members of their families and communities in whom they live. Disability was and is still seen by some people as a curse, burden, witchcraft or punishment from God. Many children with disabilities (CwDs) were and in many cases are still seen as misfortune to their families. Parents or siblings do not want them to be seen by other people so as to not, as they say, bring shame to the whole family; and in turn CwDs are kept indoors by members of the family because they do not want others to know that they live with a person with disability. In addition, society tends to address persons with disabilities by the type of their disabilities and not their names. All of these beliefs and actions prevent PwDs from enjoying their full human rights. 

Before the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, services for PwDs were provided by religious charity organisations such as Home de la Vierge des Pauvres (HVP) Gatagara, an early pioneer. A survey conducted as part of the situation analysis revealed that most disability service providers in Rwanda are religious based. However, these organisations faced and continue to face financial and coordination challenges that need to be addressed. 

There is significant progress in addressing negative attitudes and beliefs towards PwDs and creating an equal and non-discriminatory society where PwDs will fully enjoy their human rights and contribute to the development of their families, communities, and the country at large. Laws, policies, and programs were formulated with the aim of involving PwDs in the national development process. For the better management and implementation of policies regarding PwDs, the Government put in place the NCPD as an independent public agency affiliated to the Ministry of Local Government to advocate for PwDs and monitor the implementation of the laws which protect them. Although these policies and laws are important, there remains a gap between legal policy frameworks and the actual experiences of PwDs in Rwanda. The National Policy of Persons with disabilities sets policy actions and strategic interventions for PwDs in the national development agenda.